Tag Archive | Bubo virginianus

Weekend Expedition 45: Nesting Great Horned Owls!

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So yesterday, my brother Colin and I went out to see a hummingbird nest…And I realized we were quite near an area which has supported nesting Great Horned Owls for a number of years. I had never really had a tripod with me or a fast lens, so I had never gone into this dark and gloomy part of the forest to find it. Having both things on hand this time, we went to have a look, and to our surprise, the nest was quite visible from a nearby walking path!  What a great day out!

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Here we can see one of the chicks poking its head out to have a look. It may seem from these pictures that the adult was concerned we were there, but the majority of the time the bird seemed to be snoozing, only briefly opening its eyes.

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Here the adult does some preening, while the chick has a look at a dog walking by on the trail.

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I love how distinguished these owls look.

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Here is a rare frame where the adult and the chick watch while we change positions.

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Here is a shot of the adult with two chicks, one alert and one yawning.

 

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In case you are wondering what the hummingbird nest looked like, have a look at this beauty!

 

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And in other bird nesting news, check out this shot my brother got of a Cooper’s Hawk grabbing a branch for a nest just behind where the hummingbird nest was! Photo by Colin McCann.